Sunday, December 14, 2014

Christmas Funnies and Such

Murcat Manor: I finally pulled the trigger and sent off the final version of Murcat Manor to my editor for the final read through edit! This MS developed from 175 pages to about 345 by the time it's formatted. Time to do the Happy Dance.

The Insecure Writer's Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond: I dove into this book a bit over the weekend. I went right to the Marketing section and perused a number of chapters from amazing writers and bloggers I know. I’m working on updating my Media Kit, so I enjoyed Sylvia Ney’s chapter very much. We have a new Dell PC and with Windows 8.1 (I’m still getting used to it) am able to “Pin to Start” so an icon for this particular book appears on the desktop and I simply have to click it. That’s kind of a cool bell and whistle. 

And The Insecure Writer's Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond was available for free at the time of this posting. If you have not downloaded yourself a copy, take a moment and do that right now. 

As we wind down 2014, I’m already planning ahead for a most amazing 2015. Lots of really cool stuff on tap and I’ll be spending the next few weeks getting a jump start on all of that. Until then, enjoy these Holiday Follies!












Finally: What the cats of Murcat Manor do between killing the guests. Enjoy!

Monday, December 8, 2014

Cool Holiday Gift Ideas, Cool Nativity Scenes, and Mr. Bean

Cool Holiday Gift Ideas: Hi all. I know many people are looking for a certain something to give a certain someone. Look no further than Think Geek. 

For example, who wouldn’t want this really cool Planetary Glass Set? I’m ordering one. 

They have toys, T-shirts and other apparal, electronics and gadgets, home nad office, even survival stuff like this coffee mug . Lots of other geeky nerdy dorky stuff too. Think Geek 






Coolest Nativity Scene Ever!!!

This One's Pretty cool Too
Murcat Manor Nativity Scene
LEGO Nativity Scene
Peanuts Nativity Scene


Red Neck Nativity Scene

Finally, I leave you with this. I think I posted this least year. If so, it’s certainly worth a repeat. It’s Mr. Bean’s Nativity Scene. Enjoy!

 

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Insecure Writers Support Group, Pluto, New Horizons, and Orion!!!

Insecure Writers Support Group:  I’m sitting on my manuscript and ready to send it off to my editor for the final read through / edits. 

But I can’t. I’m at that stage where I’m reading through it “one more time” and catching little things here and there. Probably should leave that to my editor and just send it off. 

I Can Quit Any Time
This has been a fun project and I’m very excited to move forward. Murcat Manor has grown from a novella to a full length story coming in at around 350 pages or so. I just need to click that SEND button and let it go off to my editor.

Okay, just one more read through and I’ll send it off this weekend. Just one more. Then I’ll quit. I promise! 

Artist's Rendition of New Horizons and Pluto
You can sign up for and participate in the Insecure Writers Support Group HERE.

Did You Know: The New Horizons Spacecraft, launched nine years ago, is about to encounter the Pluto. This will be the first man made craft to visit the planet. New Horizons has spent much of its life in a hibernation of sorts to conserve energy, and will power up December 6th in preparation for a 2015 summer rendezvous with the dwarf planet. Along the way, the craft has visited and taken amazing images of Jupiter. 
Jupiter and IO, captured by New Horizons

Fun Fact: In 2006 when the spacecraft first set sail, Pluto was considered a planet. Later that year, the International Astronomical Union vote to reclassify Pluto as a dwarf planet. Lots of people to this day still very upset about that, myself included. 

But Wait, That’s Not All: There’s more exciting news! On December 4th, NASA’s new Orion spacecraft that will replace the Space Shuttle Program, is set to take a critical test flight. Orion will take mankind into deep space. The first planned stop is an asteroid in about ten years. Next up is Mars about a decade after that. People, we truly live in exciting times! 

A to Z Blog: We all know about the April A to Z event. But did you know people post there almost every day throughout the year? I post every first and third Thursday of each month for my Steve’s Science and Other Fun Stuff series. In fact, I’m posting there this Thursday on a couple fascinating topics that I’ll touch on below. 

So if you have a Blog List on your side bar, or another way that you follow your fellow bloggers and blogettes, consider adding the A to Z Blog Link to it. It’s a great way to keep in the loop on a wide array of topics in the blogging realm! 

Remember: Stop by the A to Z Blog later this week or over the weekend for more exciting stuff regarding the New Horizons mission and all the cool things it has it to do!

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Bring in the Holiday Season!!!

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we can bust out the artificial Christmas tree. Colored lights to follow as soon as I can find them.

We had a really cool fire burning earlier. Wish I had a shot of that. Hey, what is that ugly apperition in the mirror? Ugh! It's hideous. 



Wrapping miscellaneous stuff on the stair banister or whatever it's called.



A desk we bought on Black Friday. It was dirt cheap. Spent hours putting it together. Wish I could figure out the drawer. It just won't fit. We bought a second desk (I'll put it together tomorrow) and a PC tower that is kickass. Can't wait to put it all together.



Hammy the Hamster says hello! She wants to join me in a toast to the Holiday Season.



Guess she doesn't like white wine. More for me!


Okay, it's getting late. Time to bust out the Roku, finish that wine, and watch a couple episodes of Cosmos.



How was your Thanksgiving? Were you able to spend tiwm with family and friends? Busting out the Christmas decorations yet?

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Oh, How I Miss You Blogfest

Oh, How I Miss You Blogfest:  Brought to you by Alex Cavanaugh, Andrew Leon, Matthew MacNish, the purpose of the Oh, How I Miss You Blogfest regards the following: 

The bloggers you miss and the ones you would miss. 
List one to three bloggers you really miss. 
List one to three bloggers you would really miss if they stopped blogging. 
And then go let them know! 

Who I Miss: I miss Laura Eno and her blogs. One was named A Shift In Dimensions, then Laura moved to another blog that is no longer up and running. Laura was great and had this series of short stories that included characters Kronos and Death and another character I forgot. They’d often meet in a bar and discuss people that they should or should not kill and the reasons why. Great humorous stuff. I can still see Death sitting at the bar, a skeleton in a back cape, eating peanuts. Of course, being a skeleton, the peanuts would tumble down through the ribcage and fall to the floor. 

A Person I Would Miss: Hilary Melton-Butcher from across the Pond and her blog Positive Letters .... inspiration stories ..... Hilary has one of the most fascinating and interesting blogs out there. Every time I stop by I learn something new. And Hilary has to be one of the most supportive people in all of Blogdom. 

Okay, back to my Top Secret Work deep in my laboratory in a cave somewhere on Mars. If you don’t have a wormhole for travel in your garage, don’t try to find me. But I’ll be back real soon. I promise! As soon as I can remember how to get back in my secret laboratory.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

We Interrupt This Regularly Schedule Program ...

Hi all. Not much to report on today as I'm working on some really Top Secret Stuff. Can't say what it is. Top Secret, you know. You'll just have to take my word for it. But I'll be back for my midweek post and the Weekend Follies. Have a great week!

And you know what to do. In my absence, all hail to the might Lava Lamps. It's been a while, and I bet you missed them. Well, what are you waiting for? All hail!!! 




Thursday, November 13, 2014

Weekend Follies and the 2015 Blogging A to Z Team!!!

Hey all, as always thanks for stopping by and saying hello! I greatly appreciate it. We only have a couple of items to note today. 

First Up: Take a moment and stop by Blogging A to Z Challenge and meet the 2015 Challenge Team. There will be some familiar faces (mine) and some new ones. So stop by, introduce yourself, and say hello. 

And remember, it’s never too early to pick a theme and begin outlining a few posts. Me, I have my theme. And I have a Word document with the letters A to Z in descending order. Most of my topics have been identified and outlined. 

Weekend Follies: So I leave you with a few chuckles of cats and Ninja Kitty. Enjoy!

















And here's a clip of Ninja Kitty that's been circulating Facebook for a while. Enjoy!